Tea producers and tea growers meet at Golaghat
The North Eastern Tea Association (NETA) in association with Golaghat Dist. Small Tea Growers’ Association today organized an Interactive Meet on “how to bring more discipline to the green leaf trade” between the black tea producers and green leaf growers of Golaghat Dist., at the NETA Conference Room, Golaghat. According to the Govt. of Assam survey, there are 11287 small tea growers and 23 bought leaf factories in Golaghat District, which are third highest in numbers in the survey conducted in 14 districts of Brahmaputra valley. According to the NETA Statistics, there are total 72 factories in Golaghat Dist., of which 43 are estate factories and 29 are bought leaf factories. The Tea Board has chosen Golaghat Dist. out of the total five districts of Assam to carry out a study on the price sharing formula (PSF) so that the PSF can be effectively implemented throughout Assam from the tea season 2013.
Altogether thirty factory representatives and ten representatives of green leaf growers participated in the Interactive Meet chaired by Bidyananda Barkakoty, Chairman NETA. A power point presentation was made where it was shown the huge difference in price realization of good quality made tea and general quality made tea in auction centers. In a particular month in Guwahati Tea Auction Centre (GTAC) in 2011, when very good quality teas were selling above Rs.175/- per kg, during the same time, general quality teas were selling at about Rs.100/- per kg. Hence though the average price of Assam CTC teas in 2011 were sold below Rs.4.50/- compared to 2010 in GTAC, but the good quality teas were sold at much higher price in 2011 compared to 2010 whereas general quality teas were sold at much lesser price in 2011 compared to 2010. There is a huge variance in price vis-a-vis quality. According to an auctioneer, “in a scale of 1 to 10, for a difference of one point in quality, the difference in price is about Rs.10/“.
Bidyananda Barkakoty, Chairman, NETA told Assamtimes that the interactive meet was the need of the hour to give necessary emphasis on quality aspect. He further added that, as the saying goes “tea is made in the field not in the factory”, hence it was decided to bring awareness among the small tea growers to pluck leaves within a certain period of time, normally once in seven days, which may vary from month to month. When asked about the outcome of the interactive meet Barkakoty told that it was decided to bring awareness among the suppliers to deliver leaf in good condition to the factories also a time will be fixed for delivery of leaves to factories after which the factories will not receive any more green leaf for that day. Spraying of right pesticide for different pests and diseases and the interval between pesticide spraying and plucking also came up during discussion. It was decided to announce minimum base price of green leaf in Golaghat Dist. from time to time so that so that the growers are not cheated. Everybody present felt it necessary to maintain self discipline in the green leaf trade so that it is win-win situation for both the green leaf sellers and the tea manufacturers.
Members present felt that this type of interaction should be held regularly which will help in maintaining discipline in the green leaf trade and finally help in improving the quality of Assam tea. Golaghat Dist. is known as the quality belt in the world tea map and everybody present felt the importance of maintaining the glory of tea produced in Golaghat. The meeting decided to invite Chairman Tea Board to have further discussion so that the green leaf trade takes place in a more organized manner and which will finally help in fair price discovery for both the green leaf sellers and black tea manufacturers.
Other Contents by Author
Golaghat district unit of All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) on Friday burnt the effigies of Secondary Education Board of Assam (SEBA), Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi. The student body was protesting against the large scale anomalies in declaration of HSLC Examination results. Monowar Hussain, state executive member of AASU told Assamtimes that the state Education Minister Himanta Biswa Saram only makes hiking but fails to translate his words into action and inspite of prior warning to the concerned departments and authorities to be careful in declaring the results, neither the Chief Minister nor SEBA pay any heed but carried on with their egoistic...
In the HSLC examination results declared Friday Pronami Kaushik of Golaghat Jatiya Vidyala has brought glory to the district by securing 7th position. She is the daughter of Ashok Borthakur and Nirmali Borthakur. Her total mark is 562 and she secured letter marks in all the subjects. “I want to enroll myself in the Arts stream and aspires to be an IAS officer in the future.” Pronami told Assamtimes.
Chaos was witnessed at Golaghat Kushal Konwar Civil Hospitla after the death of an eighteen month old male child. The deceased child Yasin Ali was admitted to the hospital at around 11.30 am on Wednesday after he consumed kerosene oil at his home. He was admitted into the hospital at critical condition and after some time he was declared death by the doctor. When the parents took their child’s body for burial he showed some signs of life and they immediately rushed back to the hospital but unfortunately he already breathed his last. Sameda Begum and Shafique Ali, the parents of the child alleged that after their child was pronounced death by Dr. Rajiv Phukan who was attending the child,...
After winning the coveted 2nd runners up position in Lonely Planet magazine’s Emerging Destinations In India recently, Arunachal Pradesh, the natures’ favourite play spot on earth makes its foray into the world tourism scenario and earns a rare distinction for itself by making it to the BBC’s Lonely Planet Traveller magazine’s “Top 21 under-the-radar destinations of the world”. The list which exclusively featured the less explored and unconventional tourist destinations of the world was released on 9th May, is being compiled by Rory Goulding, editorial assistant at Lonely Planet Traveller magazine. It is to be noted that Kiso Valley in Japan and Southeastern Anatolia in Turkey are the only...
In the wake of the Sharadha Chit Fund Scam, the Golaghat dist. Administration today raided and sealed 09 (Nine) nos of fake financial companies. Three persons have been arrested in this connection so far. In a press meet called by dist administration today at the conference hall of Deputy Commissioner’s office, the ADC Krishna Barua informed that raid against 12 (twelve) nos of fake financial companies had been carried out so far including today’s raid. She further informed that so cause notices had been issued to 17 (Seventeen) such companies out of which 12 companies had been sealed for not providing satisfactory evidence and an FIR has been lodged under the Assam Protection of Interest...
A section of candidates who has submitted their original documents for verification against the vacant posts of provincialised lower primary and upper primary schools has been allegedly submitted false caste certificates along with their application. This serious allegation has been leveled by All Assam Tribal Sangha, Golaghat unit. In a press release, Punaram Thengal and Debananda Pegu, the president and secretary of the organization respectively, had pointed their finger that some TET qualified candidates belonging to General caste bearing surname such as Kalita, Chetia, Gogoi, Dutta, Dey, Paul, Ali etc. had submitted false caste documents of Schedule Tribes (Hills and Plains) which are...
Even though the pages of news papers have increased now a days, we are still missing out on developmental and positive news and it is very unfortunate that now news finds us, we do not find news, said Patricia Mukhim, the Padmashri award winning journalist and editor of Shillong Times during her interaction with media of Golaghat. Mukhim who is also a member of the National Security Advisory Board and National Foundation for Communal Harmony, under Ministry of Home Affairs was this month’s guest for Golaghat Press Club’s Meet The Press Programme. She also expressed the need of a common platform for the journalists of the north east region to share and express their views. ...
A never seen before incident in the democratic election process occurred at Golaghat during the first phase of Panchayat Poll when the Election Observer started counting the ballots just after two hours since the commencement of polling. This unbelievable happening was occurred at No. 21 Chetia Gaon LP School polling station under Khumati LAC. It all started when Bubul Dutta, the 2nd Polling Officer, in an act of sheer irresponsibility distributed more than the required ballot papers to the voters and when some of the voters reported the same to the Presiding Officer of the polling station, he stopped the polling instantly. It is to be added that the 2nd Polling Officer...
January 20, 2013 shall be remembered as red letter day in the history of Athkhelia Namghar as the new building of the Namghar was inaugurated. Athkhelia Namghar, situated at a distance of about 20 kms from Golaghat town, has always occupied a very important place in the hearts of Assamese religious people. According to the legends the history of Athkhelia Namghar dates back to the period of 1670 to 1681 which was a crucial time for Ahom kingdom. At that time Ahom kingdom was ruled by Lora Roja. Gadapani one of the Ahom prince of that time in order to save himself from the clutch of Lora Roja, took shelter in Nagapahar. At that time he came across the ashram of a saint which was situated at...
At a time when a lot of concern has been displayed from several indigenous organizations of the state regarding the incessant killing of one horn Rhino and presence of a large number of suspected Bangladeshi migrant that has started to threaten the very existence of Kaziranga National Park (KNP) one of the oldest protected areas in the world and Assam’s pride and identity. But ironically the state govt. blatantly denied the issue as baseless rumour and even conspired to provide safeguards to them. This serious allegation has been leveled by Mrinal Kumar Saikia, Adviser of Hindu Yuva Chatra Parishad and former president of BJP Golaghat unit, while addressing a press meet held today at...
Add new comment